More than 600 Colorado Horses Evacuated Ahead of Wildfires

More than 600 horses have been evacuated due to wildfires sweeping through Colorado.

According to the Colorado Office of Emergency Management, the fires broke out earlier this week in three locations. As of June 13, the Klikus Fire, burning some five miles west of LaVeta, Colo., was 75% contained while two other fires—the Royal Gorge and Black Forest fires—continued to burn.

As a result of that fire and resulting mandatory evacuations, Trost said that 806 animal had been evacuated from areas threatened by the Black Forest fire to large animal shelters. Of those, 200 horses were taken to the Douglas County Fairgrounds, 300 horses were removed to the Elbert County Fairgrounds, and 100 horses were evacuated to the Norris Penrose Center in Colorado Springs. Many other equids have been placed in county and private locations outside the fire zones, Trost said. In addition, other shelters have been designated for small animals. All the animal evacuation sites are reporting to the Colorado Office of Emergency Management, Trost said.

Meanwhile, firefighters continue to battle the fires and the mandatory evacuation order for both horses and humans in fire zones remains in effect.